The Choice You Make Now
by PurdyBaby
Summary: Alternative timeline. Naraku was never born and Inuyasha has lived his life with Kikyo. Elderly and alone, a strange presence offers to show him four alternative realities. In the end, he must make a choice. Move onto the next life or rewrite his fate COVER IMAGE BY ME! COMPLETE.
1. The Offer

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 **The Choice You Make Now**

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Life, surprisingly, wasn't all that he'd hoped it would be. Don't get him wrong. The years he'd spent as a human living with his wife had been more than someone like him could've ever hoped to have. Well, that wasn't quite true. There were no children. For whatever reason, no matter how hard they'd tried, those never came. They'd been heartbroken of course and after it became clear that no children were ever going to be gifted to them, it became clear that his wife resented him for it. Not that she ever said it to his face. They both tiptoed around each other. Neither wanting to bring about a confrontation that might end with them being alone. Her trying to put on a strong face, knowing that she'd forced him to give up so much, and him always being afraid to push her away. They'd loved, yes, but they'd also never trusted each other. Always worried that the other might leave or betray them. It wasn't a happy life, but again, someone like him should never have expected a happy ending.

It wasn't until Kikyo lay on her death bed that she told him of the man in the cave. A secret that she'd kept from him for decades. It wasn't in him to talk ill of the dead. He was far too old and tired to care. Despite everything he'd given up to _not_ die alone, here he was anyway. By himself, in a hut in dire need of renovations without anyone except Kaede, and even _she_ wasn't all that good of company whenever she was around. They'd moved to a distant village to start their new lives, full of hopes and dreams. Sleeping with sutras around the house every night to keep out that bastard brother of his and all the demons who wanted him dead. Countless battles where one or both of them were injured. In a way, it was probably good they never had children. Just another target for some asshole to kill or maim. They'd to move every couple of years or so. It hadn't been a peaceful life. It hadn't been the happy life he'd wanted. All of that to not die alone and yet here he was.

Closing his eyes, Inuyasha sighed as he lay down on the futon and tried to imagine what it would've been like if he'd just stolen the jewel to begin with. Would he have been happier? Even as a human there was nowhere for him to really belong. He'd lived too long and seen too much to be comfortable around humans. For once, he wanted to meet someone who'd really understand him. He wanted that more than anything in the world.

" _Inuyasha_ ," a soft woman's voice cut through the silence of his home, "I will give you a choice. I will show you one vision from the future you could have had should you have stolen the jewel. One if you had failed and been betrayed. One of your life had it begun on better terms. One if you choose to move on. After, I will give you the choice of which life you would choose to live again or whether you merely wish to pass."

"Who the _fuck_ are you?" Inuyasha snapped as he pushed himself into a sitting position, "I may be old but I'll kick your ass. Come out here and fight me."

 _"I am part of you,"_ the soft voice replied, _"I have been all along. Since that day you made a wish upon the jewel."_

"You expect me to believe _you're_ the jewel?" Inuyasha snorted before flopping back down on the futon, "Know what. Go ahead and fucking kill me whoever you are. I don't even give a shit anymore."

 _"You might,_ " the soft voice replied, _"You never know what you might be missing."_

"Whatever," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, "Either kill me or don't. I'm too old for this shit."

 _"As you wish,"_ the soft voice laughed softly, _"I shall give you four visions and then a choice must be made. A final wish to change your fate."_

"Why do you even care?" Inuyasha asked in a bored tone, "Aren't you supposed to be _gone_? You fucking disappeared."

 _"Alas, you have trapped me for fifty years with your wish to become mortal but I was never gone,"_ the voice responded with a dejected sigh, _"Your wish was a selfish one. As such, I became a part of you and we both have suffered the consequences. Now I'm giving you a choice to do things differently."_

"Change _your_ fate, you mean," Inuyasha responded knowingly, "You hate that I'm so boring and that the villagers will probably burn my body and you with me."

 _"Perhaps that much is true,"_ the voice said knowingly, _"However, I yearn for freedom and until you make the one true and correct wish, I will never be free."_

"Fine, let's get this over with bitch," Inuyasha groaned as he waved his hand at nothing, "Take me away to wherever. I ain't got time to spare."


	2. The First Vison

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 **The Choice You Make Now**

 _ **The First Vision**_

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' _This is the life you would've had had your life had begun on better terms_ ,' the voice whispered quietly, ' _Are you prepared for what you might see?_ '

' _Yeah, whatever. Get this over with_ ,' Inuyasha replied in a snide voice as he rolled his eyes, ' _I ain't got all day._ '

' _Very well_ ,' the voice chuckled softly as the world began spinning under him – going faster and _faster_ and _faster_ until suddenly, it stopped.

Stumbling awkwardly as he tried to regain his footing, Inuyasha found himself tumbling into a warm wooden hut. Cursing under his breath, Inuyasha blinked rapidly as he tried to stop the world spinning around when suddenly a shimmer silhouette of a woman appeared before him. Her armor was completely outdated, her hair fluttering ever so slightly in an unseen wind and her face….her face was a blank canvas devoid of the usual features that adorned every being on the planet. How the hell did she _talk_?!

"A little warning might've been nice," InuYasha snapped angrily as he pointed an accusatory finger, "You did that on purpose! I can't...can't..."

As Inuyasha's gaze flicked to his hand, he realized two things simultaneously. One, he had claws, and two, his skin was as smooth as it had been in his youth.

"Did you...did you take my wish back?" InuYasha asked in a mystified voice as he glanced down at the fire rat robes he hadn't worn in decades, "How the _fuck_ did..."

"Language!" a voice he hadn't heard in centuries chided him making his head spin on the spot, "Honestly InuYasha, you and your father can speak however you want around each other but not around me."

" _Mother_?" InuYasha breathed incredulously as his eyes widened and he glanced over his shoulder to see whether the shimmering figure still loomed behind him. Before he could get a proper look, he heard his mother huffed in exasperation, "Is that _attitude_ I detect?"

"No! No! Not at all," he exclaimed as he whipped his head in Izayoi's direction, "Just...uh, didn't see you there is all. You surprised me. And…and I forgot about the fish. I'm sorry."

"Aren't those fish in your hand?" Izayoi asked as her lips twitched upwards with thinly veiled amusement before she added in a knowing tone, "Took you an _unusually_ long time. Maybe someone took the _scenic_ route?"

"I don't know what you mean," InuYasha began slowly as he glanced down awkwardly at his hand which indeed held several fish, "Scenic route?"

"Don't play coy. You _know_ what I mean," his mother chuckled as she rolled her eyes, "You might as well _talk_ to the young woman instead of watching her from a distance."

Lips twitching upwards, InuYasha shrugged before he placed the fish next to the small fire pit, "You know, maybe I will."

Of course, he has absolutely no idea who she was talking about and absolutely no idea how old he was in this vision. It was like a dream come true. His mother was happy, affectionate and candid for once in her life. The demure, cautious woman he knew...still loving but smiling, actually _smiling_.

"You need to hurry. A lot of men have their eyes on her," Izayoi teased before sighing and furrowing her brow, "Better now than if it's too late. Too many odd things happening in the world."

"What do you mean?" InuYasha asked, a nervous feeling building in his gut, "What's odd?"

"You know _exactly_ what I mean," Izayoi laughed softly as she rolled her eyes, "Like I said, if you wish to court the girl, I'm all for it. Besides, humans aren't always as closed minded as you may think. Just look at your father and I. It's possible this girl may be the one. Your father just doesn't.."

"Where is father?" Inuyasha asked quietly – his heart pounding out of his chest as the thought of getting to know the man he'd never even met more terrifying than anything. How on earth was he supposed to explain that he'd abandoned his demon heritage?

' _He will never know_ ,' the voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts with an amused sigh, ' _This is a different life. You've made no wish on the jewel_.'

Feeling slightly better but still tremendously guilty, Inuyasha jumped when he heard someone coming towards the door. His breath began coming in heaving pants as he got to his feet and wandered towards the door only to be met with the sight of a man who looked remarkably like Sesshomaru yet warmer, kinder, and….

"Welcome home," his mother called out from her place by the firepit before adding with a slight smirk, " _Someone_ took the scenic route home again."

 _And_ also someone who was _incredibly_ pissed.

"Someone should know better than to draw attention to himself," InuNoTaisho responded as he set his jaw and narrowed his eyes, "Didn't you learn anything from the last time? That mob almost killed you _and_ your mother. Leave that girl alone."

"Not _every_ village is so closed minded," his mother huffed in exasperation as she rolled her eyes, "And if they are, we'll just move again. Let him find love. God _knows_ he's old enough to have taken a mate by now."

"Leave the girl alone," his father hissed in a low voice that his mother couldn't hear, "Don't make me warn you again."

Nodding numbly, Inuyasha furrowed his brow and set his jaw. Even with both parents alive, he was still an outcast….but he wasn't _alone_ and…and he had people he knew loved him as he was. This definitely was a life to consider.

"Is Naraku really coming this way?" he heard his mother ask his father barely above a whisper, "I overheard the villagers worrying about his forces marching towards here."

"Myoga informed me as such," he heard his father reply as he subtly looked over his shoulder, "We will leave in two days time."

"Two days," his mother breathed with a shaky sigh – the scent of fear creeping into her scent before pity took its place, "He'll be disappointed about the girl."

"There can be no attachments," his father whispered back – slightly louder – to make sure his son heard, "And the most important thing is keeping you safe."

"Will you challenge him again?" his mother asked – fear leeching back into her scent, "Last time….last time…"

"I know," his father replied with a sigh before adding when his mother opened her mouth, "Don't worry. I won't be bringing him with me. I won't lose another son to that poor excuse of a demon."

Another son. That must mean Sesshomaru is…

"And I _can't_ lose you," he heard his mother's soft reply, "Must you challenge him?"

"He's overtaken the Western lands and now moves towards the East," his father replied with no lack of bitterness, "Thousands have lost their lives. Someone must end this madness."

Okay…so a ton of people have died because….because this guy is all powerful….more power than even his father…. _why_?

"What will you do if you win and retrieve the jewel?" his mother asked nervously, "You're _already_ powerful. You don't need it."

"I must be the one to protect it," his father replied with a heavy sigh, "It cannot fall into hands that would abuse it."

"What if…" his mother replied breathlessly before pausing and trying again – the scent of tears nearly driving Inuyasha over the edge. Tears were always the thing that frightened him the most.

"Naraku was a half-demon once," she began hoarsely, "What if InuYasha…what if it calls to him and he takes it? What if it calls to you and clouds your mind?"

"We've raised him to be a good man," InuNoTaisho replied, "And if Sounga cannot control me, I doubt very much this jewel will be able to do so."

"You don't know that," his mother pressed with a nervous energy – the scent of tears becoming more pronounced, "We could just leave for the continent. The Western lands have been decimated. We have no reason to stay."

"Thousands more will die if I do _not_ attempt to defeat him. That is reason enough," his father replied sternly before sighing and pulling his mother into his arms, "I know you're frightened that he'll be left alone. If I am slain…but I must do this. You know I must."

"I know," his mother whimpered as she clutched him to her body, "I know."

' _Oh god, let me guess_ ,' Inuyasha thought miserably as he set his jaw, ' _I get however many years with my parents and the rest of my life I'm alone._ '

' _No life is perfect_ ,' the voice replied with a dejected sigh, ' _In fact…_ '

' _How is it mother is still alive? I must be at least two hundred_ ,' Inuyasha asked suddenly, ' _Maybe even older_.'

' _You are two hundred and fifty_ ,' the voice replied with a gentle chuckle, ' _The same age as you are in your proper reality. And your father…well they were mates, Inuyasha.'_

' _And_?' Inuyasha asked as he rolled his eyes, ' _Mother died when I was a child_.'

' _And mates cannot outlive each other_ ,' the voice replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, ' _Your mother….your mother fought to stay with you as long as she could but in the end, the mating bond was the reason she was taken from you_.'

' _I've always wondered_ ,' Inuyasha sighed as he watched his parents embrace, ' _you know...I mean she died so young_.'

' _You're fortunate that hanyou children grow much faster than human ones_ ,' the voice sighed sympathetically, ' _You weren't much older than four or five when she died_ _but you'd matured to about ten._ '

' _I wouldn't call that fortunate_ ,' Inuyasha sighed as he stared longingly at his mother when she pulled back and gave him a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, ' _So in this life, I would've been with her for two hundred fifty years?_ '

' _Yes_ ,' the voice answered nervously, ' _That much is true_.'

' _But they die soon_ ,' he continued leadingly, ' _I'll still die alone_.'

' _That's not what I meant_ ,' the voice sighed heavily, ' _What I said is that no life is perfect_.'

' _So I don't die alone_?' Inuyasha asked hopefully before adding in a determined, excited tone, ' _That makes it easy! I choose this life. There we go_. _Done deal._ '

' _I didn't say that either. I can't tell you how your story ends_,' the voice huffed in exasperation, ' _And you will see all possibilities. Only then will I allow you to make your choice._'

' _Kill joy_ ,' Inuyasha sneered before casting one more longing glance at his mother, ' _Let me…before we go, can you give me a few minutes more…_ '

' _One hour_ ,' the voice sighed, ' _Then we must continue._ '

Nodding gratefully, Inuyasha spent the next hour with his mother – eating and joking around the fire, all smiles and laughter. It was the happiest he had felt….well, _ever_. And then they were gone.


	3. The Second Vision

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 **The Choice You Make Now**

 _ **The Second Vision**_

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' _Why can't I just choose that life_?' Inuyasha complained as the world blurred around him, ' _That one really didn't seem that terrible. If anything, it seems like a hell of a lot better than what I actually got._ '

' _You can't blindly choose the first option without seeing what the others might be_ ,' the voice sighed heavily, ' _I can't believe that you wouldn't care so much innocent lives were lost that could've been avoided. You're better than that_.'

' _Am I though? You're the one who said my original wish was selfish_ ,' Inuyasha huffed in frustration, ' _Maybe I'm just a selfish person_.'

' _Depending on which life you choose, perhaps you can become better than what you are,_ ' the voice shot back before beginning in an agitated tone, ' _This is the life you would live if you choose to move on. Again, I beg you to keep an open mind_.'

Just like that the world swirled around him, churning and bubbling, until he found himself thrown into a strange looking town, in a strange looking terrain, with a bunch of people that looked nothing like anything he'd ever encountered before, and everything was in a language he'd never seen.

"David, you'll _never_ guess what Avery did at preschool today!" a female voice suddenly chirped as she made his way towards him, waving happily as she tried to balance a small blonde haired child on her hip. Her own hair was a lovely mouse brown, her eyes a pale blue, her figure shapely but not overly so, and she wore a pair of leggings with a flowing top that barely concealed her baby bump. It was also very obvious that she was speaking a foreign language and more shockingly still, he understood her.

Placing the small child on the ground, she patted the toddlers bottom as she whispered, "Go show Daddy."

Eyes widening in shock, he gaped at the small child clutching a small….something in her hand. It wasn't quite a piece of art. It looked like…a single strangely shaped….

' _Cheerio. It's called a Cheerio. It's a common breakfast food in this era_ ,' the voice suddenly whispered in his ear before adding in a stern tone, ' _And be nice to the baby_.'

"Lemme see," Inuyasha murmured as a small smile played on his lips – bending down to the small girl's eye level to accept the small gift she seemed so very proud of….even though it appeared to be a single sheet of pink paper with a single Cheerio in the middle.

"Wow, that's, uh, great," Inuyasha mumbled awkwardly before grinning when the small child grinned up at him like he'd just given her the moon, "Good job. I'm very proud of you."

Looking up at the woman standing slightly behind the child, he tried to imagine what life would be like in this era. Where he was, what he was doing, whether he was happy, how they'd met, who she was...

' _She's Kikyo's reincarnation_ ,' the voice voiced nervously, ' _As it has always been. You always find each other_.'

 _'Then I want no part of this,'_ Inuyasha snarled angrily in his mind, _'I've lived one life with her, I don't want another.'_

' _This woman is different_ ,' the voice protested with a huff of exasperation, ' _Look, you're happy together. You have children together. You love your job. You have a ton of friends. Don't write this one off just yet._ '

 _'I don't want to spend another lifetime with that woman. Thanks but no thanks,'_ Inuyasha snarled angrily, _'I'm still going with the first one. At least, she's not in that one.'_

' _The first one you find this soul too. All of them you find this particular soul_,' the voice spat out acidly, ' _Always_. _Sometimes as lovers. Sometimes as friends. Sometimes in passing. But you always, always meet at least once_. _This is just the next cycle_.'

' _Oh please, if the life I led told me one thing it was that we sure as hell weren't soulmates. It was miserable towards the end_,' Inuyasha scoffed even as he watched the woman coo over his….his future child? Eyes warming despite himself he watched as she gave him the brightest grin and move to intertwine her fingers in his.

"I thought it was too funny that she put exactly one Cheerio on her project. All the other kids went to town," the woman giggled as they followed behind the child toddling in front of them, "It's going on the fridge, of course, unless you want to take it to the office."

"Fridge is fine," Inuyasha responded as he scowled and dropped her hand – earning a confused look from the woman next to him, "I don't even care."

"Are you okay?" the woman asked nervously as she reached out to touch his arm – seeking to comfort rather than stop him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Inuyasha huffed as he shrugged her off, "Just leave me alone."

"But…but we're meeting your parents for lunch," the woman responded shakily, "I don't understand. What happened?"

Guilt crashed through him as he turned to tell the woman off. She looked so confused and hurt in that moment.

 _'If I choose another life….do I still come back to this one?'_ he asked silently to the voice inside his mind, _'Or will this change?'_

' _Whether you choose a different life or not, this is the next path_ _your soul will take_ ,' the voice admitted begrudgingly, ' _And to be honest, before you change lives, your life as you live it now must end._ '

' _How do I die_?' Inuyasha asked silently as the woman before him swallowed thickly before turning and following after their child, ' _Does it hurt?_ '

' _I can't tell you that_ ,' the voice chided sympathetically before asking nervously, _'Have you seen enough?'_

Shaking his head, Inuyasha chased after the woman who was sniffling quietly, her lips forming a strained smile when the little girl turned to grin up at her mother.

"Hey, wait," Inuyasha sighed as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry. Just…just…"

' _Say work, just say work_ ,' the voice hinted desperately, ' _Don't tell her the truth._ '

"Work," Inuyasha mumbled as he grimaced. That sounded so dumb but maybe it wasn't as the woman sighed in relief and grinned up at him – her hand coming up to cup his cheek.

"You'll get that promotion. I know you will," the woman cooed affectionately before laughing once, "For a moment, I swear you were about to tell me off. Scared the daylights out of me."

"Sorry," he mumbled once as he subconsciously leaned into her touch, "So, we're meeting my parents?"

"Uh huh," the woman chirped happily – the relieved grin never leaving her face as she turned her attention back to the small child and lowered her hand to grip his once more, "Avery _loves_ her Mawmaw and Pawpaw. Sometimes I think maybe even more than us."

Barking out a laugh, Inuyasha squeezed the woman's hand once as he turned his attention back to the small child. Okay, this life didn't seem bad at all if he was being honest. And he was going to end up here anyway. Maybe the first option wasn't the best after all. Why live a life as an outcast in hiding if he could be here with everything he'd ever wanted? A wife, children, parents, and acceptance. No, this wouldn't be bad at all.

' _No choices_ ,' the voice huffed in exasperation before adding pointedly, ' _We're leaving now_.'

And so they did but not before Inuyasha leaned over to kiss his wife's cheek.


	4. The Third Vision

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 **The Choice You Make Now**

 _ **The Third Vision**_

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' _So which life is next_ ,' Inuyasha asked with genuine curiosity. Each vision seemed better than the last so far. He imagined the last one would end up being the one he choose. After all, regardless of which one he picked, he'd still end up with that second one anyway. That was definitely something to look forward to in his opinion. This whole venture was seeming better and better with each passing minute.

' _The next is the life you would've had if you had made a wish to become a full demon_ ,' the voice sighed in exasperation, ' _You know, I'm beginning think this whole thing was a mistake. You keep making decisions without taking anything other than your selfish desires into consideration_.'

' _I'm selfish. You said so yourself, don't you remember_?' Inuyasha teased good naturedly, ' _Now let's get these last two over with and don't say it. Keep an open mind. I know_.'

And so the familiar feeling of the world spinning out from under him began and suddenly, he was dumped – not in his body – but in a ghostly form intended only to observe.

' _What the fuck?! Why can I at least feel what it'd be like!? That's not fair!_ ' Inuyasha protested as the strange outdated woman shimmered into existence next to him, ' _This was all I ever dreamed of for centuries! I definitely want this one!_ '

' _Watch and learn that not all dreams end up like you think_ ,' the faceless woman hissed as she pointed to the village a short distance away, ' _This is the life you would've had. Let's take a walk shall we?_ '

A nervous pit began to grow in his stomach as they walked and the village came into view. This was obviously a human village but it was quiet. Unnaturally quiet. Not even birds were chirping. The closer they became, the more the pit twisted in his stomach and the general feeling of wrongness soared out of control before all feeling swooshed from his body. There, just ahead, was a villager. Not just any villager. This man had been his friend in the life he led now. His torso laid a fair distance away from the bottom half of his body like it'd be torn in two.

' _I didn't do this, did I?_ ' Inuyasha asked shakily as his feet continued moving forward of their own accord, ' _Tell me I didn't do this.'_

' _I can't_ ,' the voice responded matter of factly, ' _I can only show you the end result of your wish_.'

Taking a shaky breath, Inuyasha choked back a sob as they came across more and more mutilated corpses. All of their faces he recognized. **All** of them.

' _I would never…_ ' Inuyasha choked out, ' _I would never do something like this. Even before I met Kikyo, I'd never…_ '

Then his full demon self came into sight. His eyes unfocused, and crimson red. Just like the blood dribbling from his chin, covering his claws and splattered across the fire rat robes….all of this and to top it all of with a cherry, a still beating heart in his clenched fist.

' _I've seen enough_ ,' Inuyasha hissed as he stumbled away, ' _You've made your point. Let's go_.'

' _As you wish_ ,' the woman responded as she nodded in approval, ' _There is one last vision you must see before you make your decision_.'

Swallowing thickly as he watched the full demon version of himself smile sadistically before taking a bite of the organ in his head, Inuyasha couldn't wait to get out of that nightmare as soon as possible.

' _So I turn into a mindless monster_ ,' Inuyasha asked hoarsely as the vision faded, ' _I'm guessing I killed Kikyo_?'

' _You killed every last soul in that village with your bare hands,_ ' the strange woman admitted sympathetically, ' _The wish on the jewel corrupted your soul. In fact, this next vision would give you a glimpse into the kind of life your soul would live from that moment onward should you have made that wish.'_

' _So that body…my soul is gone_?' Inuyasha gasped in horror as he placed a hand over his heart before he shivered involuntarily, ' _Is that why I couldn't feel what it'd be like? Not that I want to in retrospect…_ '

' _Yes_ ,' the woman replied, ' _As I've said before, no life is perfect_.'

 _'So this last vision…'_ Inuyasha began shakily, _'I'm betrayed. By Kikyo I'm guessing.'_

' _In a manner of speaking_ ,' the woman chuckled before ending in a long sigh, ' _It's much more complicated than that. This next vision…it's far too complicated to show you one snapshot if I'm being honest. I might break my own rule and show you several pieces of the larger puzzle. Otherwise, you won't understand the true significance of what you'd dismiss should you choose a different life._ '

' _You want me to choose this last one_,' Inuyasha responded slowly as understanding dawned on him, ' _That's why you're showing it to me last._'

' _The choice is ultimately up to you_ ,' the woman acknowledged with a gentle sigh, ' _But yes, I would prefer you choose this next path_.'

' _Why_?' Inuyasha asked as he furrowed his brow, _'From the description, it sounds like this next one is going to suck ass. I'm betrayed? Why would I choose that one?'_

' _The question becomes whether you want to be better than you are_ ,' the unnerving specter answered in a disappointed tone, ' _But...but...this was a mistake. I thought...but you are not the man you could be and showing you a vision of that future isn't something you desire. You wouldn't understand. Make your decision based on what you've seen. Anything in this last vision that I could possibly show you...the significance would be lost on you._ '

' _You calling me dumb_?' Inuyasha hissed indignantly, ' _How do you know I wouldn't get it?'_

' _Because you're selfish_ ,' the woman sighed as her shoulders sagged in defeat, ' _You're just...selfish. You only think of yourself and what's in it for you_.'

' _You make me sound so shallow,'_ Inuyasha huffed exasperatedly, ' _You sound just like Kikyo_.'

' _And you wonder why she grew to resent you_ ,' the woman clipped back in a cool tone, 'Y _ou wonder why Kaede resents you. Why you're dying all alone at this very moment_. _All you've ever done has been for selfish reasons. You are shallow. When your wife miscarried, you didn't even let her grieve before insisting you both try again. And again. And again. You never grieved for those she lost and you never recognized she was grieving. All you cared about was yourself and what you wanted.'_

Recoiling like he'd been slapped, Inuyasha paled visibly as his mouth hung open _, 'That's...that's not true.'_

 _'Oh really? Did you forget I'm a part of you? That I was there the whole time?" t_he woman taunted angrily _, 'How about that first vision I showed you? Thousands died. Thousands! Know what you cared about?! Whether you'd be alone. All you thought about what was in it for you. Who cares if that reality would cost all those people their lives so long as you were happy. Second vision? Same thing.'_

 _'I cared,'_ Inuyasha countered defensively to which the woman scoffed, ' _You cared only insofar as your parents might die and you'd be alone. You're selfish. So selfish you can't even think of anyone other than yourself!_'

' _Oh yeah?!_ ' Inuyasha bellowed, ' _If I didn't love Kikyo to begin with, how the hell could I be betrayed in this next vision?!'_

' _BECAUSE YOU NEVER LOVED HER!_' the woman all but screamed as she jabbed a finger in his chest, ' _YOU LOVED WHAT SHE REPRESENTED! THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ALONE! AND THE SAD PART IS THAT SHE NEVER LOVED YOU EITHER! YOU WERE BOTH SELFISH, SELFISH, **SELFISH**!'_

' _How DARE you! I loved her,_' Inuyasha protested indignant as he clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles went white, ' _Fuck you.'_

' _I don't know why I ever thought you'd ever be able to see past your own nose,_ ' the woman huffed as rubbed the sides of her temples...or what should've been her temples. It was hard to tell. With a defeated sigh, she mumbled quietly to herself, ' _I don't even know why I tried.'_

 _'If you think I'd be so much better, go ahead. Show me this next vision,'_ Inuyasha huffed in frustration _, 'I don't even give a shit.'_


	5. The Fourth Vision

**XXXXXXXXXX**

 **The Choices You Make Now**

 **The Fourth and Final Vision**

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' _This is a joke, right?_ ' Inuyasha huffed in frustration as he glanced around the blank abyss surround him, ' _I mean, there's nothing here._'

 _'That's not true,'_ the voice sighed dejectedly, _'Just watch.'_

Out of nowhere, there was a sliver of light and just like that, here he was falling through the nothingness with a determined and…and somewhat frightened look on his face. And…and a sword. Not just any sword. A giant fucking sword.

 _'What the hell is that!?_ ' Inuyasha asked curiously as his eyebrows shot up into his ebony hair, _'Is that a sword or…'_

' _It is your father's fang_ ,' the voice replied – a hint of hope in her tone, ' _It works for you because in this life, you're driven to protect the ones you love._ '

' _Huh_ ,' Inuyasha replied as he stared transfixed at the scene unfolding before him – barely registering the angry, cruel voices taunting his potential self about endlessly trapping some girl. There was something in his potential self's eye that gave his current self pause. If he didn't know better…

"YOU'RE WRONG!" his alternative self bellowed angrily as the many demons circling him – cutting through them effortlessly before making his way across the abyss, "Kagome taught me how to smile, how to believe in people. Kagome was the reason I could make friends, and rely on those friends. To shed tears for others, to understand true strength and kindness…They're all things I learned from Kagome. Kagome was born to meet me, and I was born for **_her_**!"

 _'Do I find her?'_ Inuyasha asked quietly as the vision faded, ' _I don't understand. I thought I was betrayed. When did that happen?_ _Does this Kagome betray me or something?'_

 _'She would never betray you,'_ the voice answered cryptically, _'But she made you a better man.'_

 _'The second vision you showed me, I seem alright,'_ Inuyasha responded as he sent the figure a smirk, _'And that one I'm not betrayed by whoever the hell betrayed me.'_

 _'Then pick that one,'_ the voice sighed wearily, _'I don't care. I don't now why the hell you'd even think….'_

 _'Where was I? Just now…where was I?'_ Inuyasha asked as a sudden light streamed across the sky – followed by hundreds of demons who were killed by the copy of the woman next to him before rematerializing and charging again, 'Wait, isn't that you?'

' _We're inside the jewel_ ,' the faceless woman sighed in defeat, _'And that is me. Those demons you see? They never die. We have fought for centuries on end. Even as I speak to you, a part of me is holding them at bay._ Ever wonder where your demonic powers went? They never just vanished. Part of your soul is currently trapped within the jewel as we speak. You've died a million times and have never had a moment of rest.'

 _'So if I die now, I'll become one of these…these things?'_ Inuyasha asked in a frightened voice, _'But my human soul is still here. I mean, you showed me that vision of when I move on.'_

 _'That will only occur when the jewel has been destroyed,'_ the woman replied as she shook her head solemnly as she watched herself fighting a never ending battle, _'If you follow the path you are currently on…centuries you will be trapped inhere. Your human soul will fuse back with your demonic half within the jewel.'_

' _Well…'_ Inuyasha replied quietly before swallowing hard, _'All of them…is there no path where…did I do something wrong in a former life? All of them…it seems like all of them involve suffering and loss of some kind.'_

 _'Most lives do,'_ the faceless woman acknowledged sagely, _'No life is perfect.'_

 _'So…in this life we're in right now…you said I'm a better person than what I am now?'_ Inuyasha asked quietly after a long tense moment, _'These friends I would make. Would they…would they suffer if I just choose to move on?'_

 _'If you moved on…two would never be born,'_ the woman answered hesitantly, _'One would die an early death. One would be better off if you merely allowed the jewel to trap your soul.'_

 _'What about the first vision?'_ Inuyasha pressed as he furrowed his brow, _'These friends…this Kagome? Would they be any better off?'_

 _'Two would never be born,"_ the woman replied softly – uncertainty and something akin to hope in her tone, ' _And two would die an early death.'_

 _'The third vision,'_ Inuyasha replied nervously, _'I'll be the one to suffer but…but would they?'_

 _'Two would never be born,'_ the woman replied softer still, _'One_ _would be better off if you merely allowed the jewel to fall into another's hands. One would be slain by your hand._ _'_

 _'And in…in this wish…'_ Inuyasha asked – frightened of the answer _, 'What will happen to them?'_

 _'They will suffer tremendously but they will all live long lives,'_ the woman replied softly – trying to remain neutral, _'In each case, there is suffering but there are benefits as well. How can one suffer if they never existed in the first place?'_

 _'Is it the same ones?' Inuyasha asked after a moment, 'The two that would never be born? Are they always the same?'_

 _'No, they are not always the same,'_ the woman answered quietly, _'Each vision leads to different fates for them all.'_

' _Will I remember any of this?'_ Inuyasha asked with a shuddering sigh as he glanced at the woman's disconcertingly blank face. Hugging his arms around his chest, he pressed, _'If I make a choice, would I know when I'm reborn?'_

 _'No, you won't remember any of it,'_ the woman responded softly with baited breath, _'Have you made your choice?'_

 _'Do I need to make that choice right now?'_ he asked as the vision faded and the woman faded along with it, _'I need a moment.'_

 _'You have until nightfall. After that, I can no longer help you,_ ' the woman whispered as she faded from view and he found himself slamming back into his frail human body.

Suffering apparently was always going to be a part of his life. It was still selfish in a way to only consider the friends he had never met. This Kagome who he loved in the last vision. It was selfish to choose to become a full demon or to choose to live with his parents. So many would die – some at his own hands. The second vision….he'd suffer for centuries…which meant the jewel would continue to exchange hands amongst demons with less than pure intentions causing untold numbers to suffer. But why was that woman so invested in that last vision? Could it be that he somehow purified the jewel out of existence? She did want to be free after all and it was a miserable existence to forever be fighting. He knew the feeling all too well. It was why he wanted to become a full demon in the first place. No one wanted to fight forever.

Closing his eyes, he mulled over the various options until he came to his decision. As the sun dipped lower into the sky, there was no voice assuring him she'd heard his decision. No sign that it was all nothing more than a dream. It wasn't until later than night, after he'd fallen asleep, did a demon manage to break through the seals around his hut and gut him like a fish to extract the jewel in his stomach. As he lay there struggling to breath and all feeling faded from his body, as his vision faded and his heart faltered in his chest...he hoped he'd made the right decision...that it hadn't been a dream after all.


	6. The Choice

**A/N: Short Story I know but it came to me all at once. And I'm impatient. Trying to do better but it's written dammit.**

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 **The Choice You Make Now**

 _ **The Choice**_

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Closing his eyes, a man sighed as he lay in the yellowing meadow grass. The blistering heat of the summer had finally faded and the temperature was damn near perfect. Life, unsurprisingly, hadn't been what he'd hope it would be. Don't get him wrong. The past few years, despite all the hardship, had been the best ones of his life and more than someone like him could've ever hoped to have. Well, that wasn't quite true. Kagome wasn't here. For whatever reason, she'd been torn from his arms before he even had a chance to say goodbye. He'd been heartbroken of course but after it was all said and done, he was grateful that he'd met her…that he loved her. Not that he'd ever said that to her face. They'd both tiptoed around the issue – him more so than her – but they both knew how much they loved each other. Neither wanting to say those three little words just in case this exact scenario came to pass. They loved, yes, but they'd never said it in so many words. Actions always spoke louder than words anyway. For far too long, he'd put Kikyo first but their faith and trust in each other never wavered. She still wanted to be by his side despite that flaw in his character and he wanted her right beside him as well. Their relationship had never been perfect but he'd wouldn't change….

That wasn't quite true. He wished he had never said Kikyo's name, that she'd never been resurrected. Maybe…just maybe…things could've been different between them. Their love would never have gone unspoken and she wouldn't be gone.

Sighing heavily, Inuyasha opened his eyes and lolled his head towards the well as one hand came up to idly play with the beads that marked him as hers. She'd come back. Sure, it'd been a year but she'd come back, right? He refused to believe otherwise.

After all, she was born for him and he was born for her. If he had to make a decision to change his fate, he'd pick the one that led him to her. Every time.

Little did he know, he'd made that choice already but not for her. No. He picked this life to be a better man, for better lives for the people he had never met...and so that the spirit trapped inside the jewel would be free.


End file.
